Governor Larry Hogan announced that the administration has awarded a total of $3,590,492 to combat violent crime across the state. These grants will be distributed by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention to 55 agencies statewide to be utilized in FY 2018.
“There is no place for violent offenders in our communities,” Governor Larry Hogan said. “We must have a criminal justice system that innovatively works to stop crime before it happens and hold offenders accountable for their actions, and the harm they cause.”
Safe Streets
The Maryland Safe Streets Initiative is an offender-based model established to dramatically reduce crime by instituting collaboration and information sharing among all levels of government. The Initiative focuses all criminal justice resources on a core group of violent offenders that commit the majority of local offenses. Maryland Safe Streets jurisdiction officials build a strong coalition of partners, create custom strategies to meet the model’s core goals, and maintain a management structure to measure progress and hold partners accountable. Coalition strategies demonstrate a data-driven approach of proactive crime analysis and multi-jurisdictional information sharing across local, state, and federal levels. The Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention partners with local jurisdictions that demonstrate the need to reverse crime trends, and their commitment to strengthening partnerships across their local criminal justice systems.
Funding for FY 2018 was distributed by allowing eligible jurisdictions to apply for funding that have violent crime rates significantly higher than the state average, and a population larger than 10,000. A total of $1,961,592 in state grants will be distributed to 10 agencies statewide.
“These grants are a crucial part of our state’s continuing efforts to combat violent crimes in the State of Maryland,” said Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. “These funds will play a vital role in providing support to law enforcement agencies.”
Gun Violence Reduction Grant
The Responsible Gun Safety Act of 2000 established the Maryland Cease Fire Council to assist in the establishment of programs designed to reduce the incidence of firearm-related crime. By statute, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, in conjunction with the Cease Fire Council, evaluate the grant applications. The Gun Violence Reduction grants support programs that target criminals and juveniles who use or illegally possess firearms, law enforcement and prosecution programs that support firearms reduction, covert investigations and debriefing of arrestees and offenders for information related to illegal firearms trafficking, and initiatives that support the identification of illegal firearms traffickers and the tracing of firearms.
Funding from FY 2018 was made available to all law enforcement and prosecutors. This allowed multiple entities to apply within one jurisdiction if needed. More than $900,000 in state grants will be distributed to 21 agencies statewide.
“The Gun Violence Reduction grant program assists both law enforcement and State’s Attorney’s Offices with funds to implement innovative strategies for getting the most violent offenders off of the streets of our local communities,” said Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention.
Sex Offender Compliance and Enforcement in Maryland
The Sex Offender and Compliance Enforcement program provides support to 24 law enforcement agencies in the State of Maryland with specialized units that primarily handle the sex offender registry within their jurisdictions. These funds will assist law enforcement agencies in their duties of sex offender registration, compliance verification, and enforcement against violent sex offenders.
Funding for FY 2018 was distributed to designated law enforcement agencies who are responsible for the sex offender registration process in their respective jurisdiction. A total of $728,900 in state grants will be distributed to 24 law enforcement agencies statewide.
“Lawmakers and other public officials have the challenging responsibility of crafting public policies to protect individuals and communities from sexual victimization,” said Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. “This funding provides law enforcement with tools to assist in these efforts.”
